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Prestige GOLF 2014
TOP TIPS
Top Tips S
Any idiot can grab a club and start whacking away at the ball. However, if your goal is to improve your swing, the first step is to pay attention to the way you hold your club. Stand up, let your arms hang loosely at your sides and look at your hands.
with your thumb pointing down. You should still be able to easily see the knuckles of your index and middle fingers. The “V” between your thumb and index finger should be pointing toward your rear shoulder -- not your chin. Now, place your bottom or trailing hand below your top hand, taking care to maintain its neutral position.
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Interlocking grip: The next most common grip works better for people with less powerful • forearms, weak wrists or smaller hands. With this grip, the hands are literally locked together by curling the pinkie finger of the trailing hand around the index finger of the lead hand. The downside of this grip is that, with less finger pressure controlling the club, the handle can sometimes drift against the palms. Ten finger grip: Beginners, players with joint pain and those • sometimes find the ten finger grip the most comfortable. To achieve simply lock the pinkie finger of the trailing hand close against the index finger of the lead hand.
with small hands it,
The perfect grip is key to improving your swing. A correct grip will help you impact the ball solidly on the club face. It will also give your wrists the proper hinge, which will improve your power all three grips have been used successfully by professional golfers. The grip that’s right for you is usually the one you find most comfortable The pros make a powerful, fluid swing look effortless. A beginner, on the other hand, can often find himself missing the ball entirely and, if he’s really unfortunate, spinning himself around with such force that he winds up on the ground. To avoid this unfortunate comedy of errors, give proper consideration to your stance before you take a whack at the ball.
Now that you’re holding your club with neutral hands, it’s time to strengthen your grip by locking your hands together in one of three basic ways:
Align yourself: Picture a set of railroad tracks running from • the tee box to the green. Your body is aligned on the inside rail. Your ball is on the outside rail, which runs in a straight line from the tee box to the pin.
Notice how they are angled naturally - you can easily see the knuckle on your index finger and part of the knuckle on your middle finger. By duplicating this “neutral hand position” when you grip your club, you’ll more consistently and naturally square the clubface when you swing, increasing your chances of impacting the ball where you should, at the centre of the club head.
Spread your feet: Your feet should be shoulder width apart, • with your weight balanced on the balls of your feet. • Posture, please: Flex your knees slightly, bend at the hips and keep your spine straight. No slouching! • Relax: Loosen your death grip on your club. You want to hold the club securely without squeezing too tightly. You also want to keep your body relaxed and not rigid. Once you’ve spent time perfecting your grip and setting up your shot with the correct stance, you’re ready to actually take a swing.
Gently bring your top or lead hand (left for right-handers, right for left-handers) to the club and hold it lightly in place
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• Verdun grip: Probably the most popular and common golf grip, the Vardon or “overlapping” grip is achieved by fitting the pinkie finger of the trailing hand between the index and middle finger of the lead hand.
To Improve your Swing ince its inception golf has inspired obsession. Some players are lured by the refined aura of the sport, the sweeping links and velvety greens. Others are obsessed with golfing gear - the latest drivers, spiked shoes and fancy putters. Still others simply enjoy driving around in the golf cart.
TOP TIPS
On the backswing, pivot your shoulders toward • your spine, shift your weight to the front of your back foot and hinge your front arm up into a 90-degree L-shape. Prestige Golf
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Prestige GOLF 2014
TOP TIPS
• On the downswing, release your arm in its L-shaped lever toward the target as you shift your weight to your front foot in one, smooth balanced motion. Rhythm and balance are essential for a good golf swing. Once you’ve spent some time on the basics, you can improve your swing even more by paying careful attention to your rhythm and balance.
Count it Out: Your second grade “one-and-two-and-three-and-four-and” rhythm skills will • serve you well with this exercise. Begin by repeating in a slow, steady rhythm “One-one-thousand, twoone-thousand.” Once you’ve got a steady beat, practice swinging back on one and down on two. Simply counting through the rhythm of your swing will really help you become aware if you’re rushing part of your swing. Two Balls: Place two golf balls on the ground one directly behind the other. Now, slip your • iron between them and swing. If the back ball goes hurtling off into the far distance, you’re rushing your swing. To improve your rhythm, practice until the back ball rolls just a few feet. Many golfers live for those glorious moments they get to really smash a ball off the tee. There is a particular pleasing ping-flavoured popping sound a ball makes when it contacts squarely with a masterfully swung driver. You can almost feel the humming in your teeth. Power-driven tee shots and well-considered putts are the crown princes of a well-played game of golf. However, for a player who revels in the strategy of the game, the fairway is where all the action is. In the fairway, you get to practice many shots that, if properly executed, can redeem a lousy tee shot. The dreaded rough, scourge of beginning essential to modify your swing to navigate Avoid hacking and chopping mere inches and guarantee hole. Instead, spread your bit more firmly than you you power through the the ball than normal and the ball at a sharp angle. grass clogging the surface also, usually, chips the ball zone, The sand trap is yet are in a deep, soft, angled feet in the sand for balance head of your stance. Whack trying to hit the ball itself. if you’re lucky, the ball as bunker’s edge. On the other hand, if the trap is there is no need to dig up so much sand a couple inches before the ball as scooping up sand, try to hit the ball square You’ve finally made it to the green, and the to get the ball there. Start by adjusting your grip. You no drive. Instead, place your thumbs and
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golfers, has ensnared many a player. It’s out of this tricky terrain. at the ball, which will gain you you a bogey -- or worse -- on the feet wider and grip your club a normally would. This will help tough grass. Stand a bit closer to swing the club so that the head hits This cuts down on the amount of between the club and the ball and sharply up and out of the danger another fairway menace. If you sand trap, feel free to bury your and make sure the ball is at the the sand under the ball, rather than This will send a plume of sand - and well - up into the air and over the filled with a shallow layer of wet sand, sand to get the ball out. Strike into the you would on a soft bunker, but instead of on, more like a normal shot. hole is a mere few feet away. Now, you just need longer need the interlocking grip you use to index fingers on the shaft of your club so that
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TOP TIPS
you can better sense the conditions of your swing. Next, adjust your stance. Stand closer to the ball than you do for a drive. Instead of distributing your weight evenly, you’ll want most of your weight, about seventy-five percent, on your forward foot. Finally, keeping your arms straight and parallel to each other, control your swing with small shoulder movements. We recommend two drills to improve your putting game. In both instances, determine how hard you’ll need to hit the ball and how to adjust for any breaks or elevation changes in the lay of the land before you take your shot.
PRESTIGE GOLF 2014
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It’s possible to focus so much on your technique that you psyche yourself out and ruin your entire game. Many of the greats, such as Bobby Jones, Jack Nicklaus
Practice long: In turn, putt three balls • toward a hole that is at least 25 feet (7.62 meters) away. As you swing, keep your eyes on the hole, not the ball. This helps you focus on the target and learn to judge distance. Practice short: Putt three balls toward • a hole that is no more than 6 feet (1.8 meters) away. Instead of looking at the target, keep your eyes on the ball and listen for it to fall into the hole. This teaches you to trust your instincts. After several years of regular playing you will develop a personal swing style. At this advanced stage in your golfing life, you’ll always be on the hunt for ways to improve. It’s easy to fall prey to nit-picking and head games. You might notice yourself swearing in the tee box when you hit an imperfect drive, rather than soaking in the sunshine, and enjoying the atmosphere of the course.
and Tom Watson, had unconventional swing styles. Bobby Jones turned his lower body too much, lifted his left foot too high, and came down too quickly on the backswing it certainly worked for him. Maybe your personal swing style has something to teach you
“Our advice: after you get the basics down, it’s all mental. To avoid being intimidated by the course, the competition or your own weaknesses, relax your mind, listen to your body and above all remember to enjoy the game.”
Top Tips to improve your swing
by Andrew Lowe